"Nikura," a restaurant specializing in Japanese-Peruvian "Nikkei" cuisine, has opened on the first floor of the JW Marriott Hotel & Suites Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City. It's drawing attention as the first venue to serve authentic Nikkei cuisine in Ho Chi Minh City.
The chef de cuisine is Ivan Casusol, from Lima, the capital of Peru. He's a specialist who built his experience at Nikkei restaurants in North America, the Middle East, and Asia. Saigoneer's coverage reports in detail on the history of Nikkei cuisine and Nikura's undertaking.
What is Nikkei cuisine?
On April 3, 1899, a ship carrying 790 Japanese immigrants arrived in Peru. The farmers, who sought a new land out of economic hardship, took on labor at sugar plantations. The Japanese cooking techniques they brought met the rich ingredients of Peru's coast, and in time a unique fusion cuisine was born.
To Japanese techniques such as sashimi cutting and delicate plating were added Peruvian ingredients like rocoto (chili), ají amarillo (yellow chili), lime, corn, and cassava. In the 1980s, Japanese-Peruvian chefs systematized this cuisine, and the name "Nikkei" took hold.
| Period | The history of Nikkei cuisine |
|---|---|
| 1899 | 790 Japanese immigrants arrive in Peru |
| First half of the 20th century | Plantation workers fuse Japanese food with Peruvian ingredients |
| 1980s | Japanese-Peruvian chefs establish "Nikkei" as a cuisine genre |
| 1987 | Chef Nobu Matsuhisa opens Nobu, raising its profile worldwide |
| 2026 | Nikura opens in Ho Chi Minh City, a full-scale expansion into Southeast Asia |
Nikura's notable menu
The menu created by Ivan Casusol combines the precision of Japanese ingredients with the bold flavors of Peru.
| Dish | Details |
|---|---|
| Concha | Seared Japanese scallops with a creamy lime sauce |
| A8 Wagyu steak | A main dish using premium Wagyu |
| Nikura Rice | Cured-ham broth, shiitake, poached egg, nut sauce |
There's also a dish reinterpreting ceviche, a Peruvian classic, with Japanese sashimi technique, and cocktails combining Peruvian spices with Japanese fruit are distinctive too.
The adjacent cocktail bar "Pisco Hana" serves modern cocktails combining pisco, Peru's national spirit, with Japanese fruit and flowers. It also offers mocktails and low-alcohol drinks incorporating seasonal Vietnamese ingredients.
Background: why Saigon now?
Ho Chi Minh City's dining market boasts one of the highest growth rates in Southeast Asia, and the entry of international fine dining is accelerating. There are already hundreds of Japanese restaurants in the city, but the category of "Nikkei" was a blank.
The three countries of Japan, Peru, and Vietnam all face the Pacific and have food cultures that make heavy use of seafood. The delicacy of Vietnamese cuisine's nuoc mam (fish sauce) and fresh spring rolls has a high affinity with Nikkei cuisine. In Saigoneer's coverage, Casusol says, "The diversity and energy of Saigon's food culture make it the ideal place to write a new chapter of Nikkei."
See here for the latest dining information in Ho Chi Minh City
Local reactions
- Foodie community: "Ho Chi Minh City had Italian, French, and Japanese, but Nikkei is a first. It'll be the pioneering of a new category."
- Japanese residents: "As a Japanese person, I felt the connection with Peru was distant, but it's fascinating to experience the history of migration through food."
- Hotel-industry figures: "By choosing Nikkei, JW Marriott has raised Ho Chi Minh City's luxury dining scene up a notch."
What it means for Japanese travelers
Restaurants where you can experience "how Japanese food transformed overseas" are still few even in Asia. At Nikura, you can enjoy a triple crossover in which Japanese ingredients and techniques meet Peruvian seasonings and ingredients, with local Vietnamese ingredients added on top.
For travelers who want to experience an "overseas-evolved form of Japanese food" entirely different from sushi or tempura, it's worth a visit. Since it's inside the JW Marriott, it's worth noting that a dress code and reservations are recommended.
Trending gourmet spots in Vietnam are also introduced here
Ripple effects on the dining industry
Until now, Nikkei cuisine's main arenas have been North America, South America, and Europe. Nikura's opening symbolizes a full-scale expansion of Nikkei in Southeast Asia. In Ho Chi Minh City's dining industry, interest in Peruvian cuisine in general (ceviche bars, pisco bars, etc.) is also rising.
For Japan's food industry too, it's a useful case in which "overseas expansion of Japanese cuisine" goes beyond mere export of sushi and ramen to create a new genre fused with local food culture.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Shop name | Nikura |
| Address | G floor, JW Marriott Hotel & Suites Saigon, corner of Hai Ba Trung Street & Le Duan Boulevard, Saigon Ward, HCMC |
| Phone | +84 28-3520-9999 |
| Genre | Nikkei cuisine (Japanese-Peruvian cuisine) |
| Chef | Ivan Casusol (from Lima) |
| Adjacent bar | Pisco Hana (cocktail bar) |
| Dress code | Smart casual recommended |
| Reservations | Recommended (via the official Marriott website or by phone) |
Summary
Nikkei cuisine, created by Japanese immigrants who crossed to Peru in 1899, has arrived in Ho Chi Minh City after 127 years. Nikura, led by Lima-born Ivan Casusol, condenses Japanese precision, Peruvian boldness, and Vietnam's ingredient power onto a single plate. As a venue that carves a new category into Ho Chi Minh City's dining scene, it's a must-check for travelers with an interest in food.
Please also enjoy Ho Chi Minh City's café culture
